Window display protector



Dec. 19, 1950 J. CONTINENZA 2,534,576

WINDOW DISPLAY PROTECTOR Filed Nov. 2, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ll 1' y/'t' A! i /4 i II ljsepk (Zarziirzenza INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 19,1950

Filed Nov. 2, 1949 J. CQNTINENZA WINDOW DISPLAY PROTECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet2 T08epk c'antinenza INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 19, 1950 UNITED (STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDOW DISPLAYPROTECTOR Joseph C'ontinenza, Stuart, Fla.

Application. November 2, 1949, Serial No..124,969

2 Claims.

The invention relates to a protective device adapted to be mounted in astore window and so designed as to protect articles displayed in thewindow against theft in the event of. accidental or intentional breakingof the glass pane of said window.

An important object of the. present invention is to provide a device ofthe type stated comprising a drop panel which normally is held inelevated position directly to the rear of the conventional glass paneutilized in a store window, but which will automatically, on breaking.of the store window, fall instantaneously into position across thewindow aperture so as to protect against theft of articles displayed inthe window.

Another important object is to provide a device as described which,after it has dropped into position, cannot be lifted except by theproprietor.

Summarized briefly, the invention includes a pair of upstanding guidesthat are mounted within the window directly to the rear of theconventional glass pane thereof, said guides having slidably mountedthereon sleeves rigidly con- .nected to a drop. panel extending fullyacross the window aperture. The drop panel is normally held in elevatedposition by connection to the shaft of an electric motor. However, byreason of a particular electrical circuit, the breaking of the storewindow energizes the motor and upon rotation of the motor shaft, thedrop panel is disconnected and drops instantaneously into positionacross the window aperture so as to protect against, theft of thearticles. Latch devices carried by the drop panel engage the guides inthe dropped position of the panel so as to prevent; elevation of thepanel.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a storewindow, portions being broken away, the device constituting the subjectof the invention being shown in front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through said store window-andprotective device.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of" one of the latchdevices.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4--4 ofiFig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the connection of the drop panel tothe actuating motor.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electrical circuit embodied in the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 5 designatesan ordinary store window, such as the window of a jewelry store orsimilar establishment, said store window being equipped with theconventional glass pane E and display stands or shelving i.

In accordance with the present invention, there are mounted on the floorof the window, adjacent opposite sides of the window aperture, feet inwhich there are positioned the lower ends of vertically extending guides23 the upper ends of which are positioned in sockets is secured to theceiling of the store window, so that said guides 9 in effect comprise avertically disposed slideway on which the drop panel is mounted forvertical sliding movement. Said drop panel comprises a rectangular frameH extending around and secured to the solid panel [2, the opposite sidesof the frame I! being rigidly secured to sleeves l3 by welds I4 orsimilar means, said sleeves l3 being mounted for sliding movement uponthe guide rods 9 and being equipped at their lower ends with the rubberbumpers 15 whereby on dropping of the drop panel, the shock of fallingwill be absorbed.

To the upper edge of the drop panel, intermediate the ends of saidpanel, there is rigidly secured the slotted bracket 55, which is securedto the drop panel by means of rivets i! or the like, said slottedbracket is being integral or otherwise rigid with the upwardly extendingstud I'8 threaded so as to be received in the depending threaded socketI it having the reduced upper extension 20 connected by a set screw 2|to the shaft 22 of an electric motor 2-3 bolted to the ceiling of thestore window.

Thus, assuming that the motor 23 is suddenly energized, said motor willrotate the threaded socket is at high speed so as to causeseparation 'ofsaid socket from the threaded stud it! of the drop. panel and the droppanelwill immediately fall into position across the window aperture.

Assuming that the drop panel fallen into position across the Windowaperture so as to protect against theft of the articles displayed withinthe window. it is held against elevation from its drop position byreason of a latcharrangement which includes the longitudinal series ofteeth '24 formed on each of the guide rods 9 intermediate the ends ofsaid guide rods. Engageable with any of the teeth 24 is the beveledinner the motor 23.

edge 25 of a yoke 26 rigid with the arm 21 formed integral with atransversely extended sleeve pivoted on pin 23, said arm 21 having theextension 29 adapted to be engaged under a keeper 30 pivoted at 3| tothe frame i i of the drop panel. The pivot pin 28, it may be noted, ismounted upon a bracket 32 rigidly secured in any suitable manner to eachcorner of the drop panel.

When the drop panel is in its elevated position, and the device ispositioned ready for use in the event of breaking of the glass pane 6,the keeper an is moved to the full line position illustrated in Figs. 3and 4 so as to be out of engagement with the extension 29 of the pivotedlatch. As a result, assuming that the motor 23 is energized so as tocause instantaneous dropping of the drop panel 12, the dropping of thepanel [2 to its lowermost position causes the latch 21 to be positionedwhere it will engage any of the teeth 24 should anyone attempt toelevate the drop panel from the lowered position thereof. As a result,the latch 21 will be positioned as in the full lines illustrated in Fig.3, and anyone atgempting to elevate said panel will be unable toHowever, at such time as the store owner again elevates the drop panel.it is necessary only that he adjust the pivoted latch to the dotted lineposition illustrated in Fig. 3 and engage it under the keepers whereuponthe drop panel can be elevated to the position illustrated in Fig. 1after which the keepers 3!! are again adjusted away from the extensions29 so as to again position the drop p nel ready for use.

It will be understood that the pivoted latches 21 will be so located asto be inaccessible to someone outside the window.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated an electrical circuit well adapted to servethe purposes of the present invention. An end ess electricallyconductive tape 33 extends throughout the marginal portion of and isadhesively secured to the glass pane 6, as best seen in Fig. 1. Thisendless electrically conductive tape 33 is in circuit with a relay 34and with an electrical transformer 35, and said circuit is poweredthrough leads 6 extending from the ordinary house supply. Thus. theelectrically conductive tape 33 is continuously energized so as to holdthe relay 34 energized.

As long as the relay 34 is energized, it attracts and holds open aswitch 31 th t is in circuit with Thus, the motor 23 is normally notenergized and by reason of its threaded connection with the drop panel(see Fig. the drop panel is held elevated under normal conditions.However, assuming that a burglar breaks the glass pane for the p rposeof removing articles displayed within the store window, the breaking ofthe glass pane 6 severs the tape 33 breaking the circuit to the rela 34.As a result, switch 31 instantaneously closes, closing a c rcuit to andincluding the house supply and the motor 23. The motor upon going intooperation rotates the shaft 22 at high speed so as to instantaneouslybreak the three ded connection between the socket I9 and the stud Ill.The panel l2 drops 'into position across the window aperture, so as toprotect against theft of the articles displayed. within the window. Allthis takes place, of course, within the space of so short a time as toprevent the person breaking the window from removing any of the articlesdi played.

The relay 34 and the electrical transformer 35 can be suitably housedwithin a box 38 secured to the ceiling of the store window. It may benoted, in this connection, that it is of course possible for theelectrical circuit illustrated in Fig, 6 to also include a visible oraudible burglar alarm of the conventional type, and it is believed thatthis is so obvious as not to require special illustration, since it iswell within the skill of those experienced in the art to include such analarm mechanism with the device illustrated and described herein.

I believe the advantages of a device constructed as illustrated anddescribed will be readily apparent. For example, jewelry stores arecontinuously faced with the problem of thievery caused by someonebreaking the window of the store and stealing all or a valuable part ofthe jewelry displayed within the window. In most cases, jewelry storewindows and other windows in which valuable material is displayed areequipped with alarm devices, many of which include tapes such asillustrated at 33 herein. However, these alarm devices serve solely toadvise protective agencies of the fact that the window has been broken,or cause sounding of a burglar alarm on the premises, but in no case dothey prevent the thief from stealing the articles themselves anddisappearing before the arrival of the police. In the present instancethe possibility of theft is fully eliminated, since the breaking of thewindow itself electrically connects the motor with the source ofelectricity, and the drop panel instantaneously, to all intents andpurposes, drops into position across the window aperture so as toprevent theft of any article within the window. The latch device isillustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, engaging the teeth 2 4 in the droppedposition of the panel to prevent elevation of the panel.

It is to be unrerstood that different types of store windows, diiferentceilin elevations, and other factors might require different methods ofmounting the motor 23, hous ng 33. and upper brackets ii] of the guiderods 9. For example, most store ceilings are too high to permit a motorto be mounted as shown in Fig. 1, and this illustration is purely forthe purpose of showing that a motor is fixedly mounted above the droppanel. In mostcases, this reason, and also the desirability ofpreventing vibration and insuring proper operation of the panel, wouldundoubtedly make it more advisable to provide a bracket which will serveas a mounting for the motor, energizer unit or relay housing, and alsoas a means to which can be attached the upper ends of the guide rods ii.The formation and location of this bracket would, of course, depend uponthe particular w ndow formation, and it is mainly important that theupper ends of the guide rods, the motor cisposed between said guiderods, and the energizer unit all be stationarily mounted in a properposition in a manner to insure proper operation of the device and tomeet any special conditions d ctated by the particular window structureand by the store owner.

What is claimed is:

1. A window display protective device including a pair of upstandingspaced guides mounted within a window. a roe pan l ext nding betweensaid guides and slidably mounted thereon, a motor mounted above saiddrop pan l, a threaded connection between the motor and drop panel andnormally engaging the panel so as to hold the panel elevated, meansactuated by breaking of a window and a"apted to energize the motor so asto break the threaded connection for dropping of the panel, and latchdevices inter-engaging between the panel and guide rods for prevent ingelevation of the panel from its dropped position.

2. A window display protection device including a pair of upstandingspaced guides adapted for mounting in a store window adjacent the glasspane thereof, sleeves mounted for sliding movement upon said guides, asolid panel extending between and rigidly connected to the sleeves, amotor mounted above the drop panel, a threaded socket rotatable with theshaft of said motor, a threaded stud carried by the upper end of thedrop panel and normally engaged in the socket, whereby on rotation ofthe motor shaft the socket will disengage from the stud to permitdropping of the panel, an electrically conductive tape mounted upon thewindow, means in circuit with the tape and normally preventingenergizing of the motor, whereby on breaking of the pane and tape themotor will be energized, and

latch devices inter-engaging between the panel and guide rods in thedropped position of the panel to prevent elevation thereof from saiddropped position.

JOSEPH CONTINENZA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 535,100 Gill Mar. 5, 18951,985,732 Jauch et a1 Dec. 25, 1934 2,000,479 Cook et al May 7, 1935FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 296,144 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1928392,935 Great Britain May 25, 1933

